Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Sewing Summit has come and gone. Holy cow, it was fun. I think I'm still in a daze and trying to recover from the sewing/people/fabric/fun overload. I loved every minute of it. I don't get to hang out with sew-y friends very often, so this felt like such a treat. Sadly, I was terrible about remembering to pull out my camera. And the pictures I did take didn't turn out so hot (inside a hotel is not the best picture-taking environment.) But I have enough (and stolen a few) to give an impression.

The fun began with this group on Friday. After a morning of visiting fabric shops and running into new Sewing Summit friends along the way, I visited Art Market - a collection of handmade goods by local artists - with Amy, Amy, Dana and Leigh, where we ran into Kristie and Samantha fresh from Canada. Kristie and I have corresponded and she had sent me an adorable Union Jack purse this summer. It was so fun to meet her in person! (Photo thanks to Kristie @OCD Obsessive Crafting Disorder)

Also oven-fired pizza was consumed and we were entertained by Dana in the process.

Here are a few more of the great folks I happened to get pictures with. There were so many fabulous people I did not get pictures of. (Kicking self.) Including my hilarious roommate. How did that happen?From top left moving clockwise: Lee, me, Amy, Elizabeth, AnnMarie, me, Amy, Allison, Melissa, me, Amanda, Amy, Emily, Leigh, and me again.

And this is only a smidgen of the many fabulous people who were there.

Too many sewers (sewists?), so little time!!

Can I just say that it is kind of surreal to walk into a room full of people that you "know" but don't actually recognize in real life. It's kind of an intimidating feeling. I wished that everyone could have walked around with their blog headers tattooed to their foreheads so I would have recognized them instantly. Instead I was trying to nonchalantly look at the name tag hanging on their chest (which is kind of awkward, as you can imagine.) But it is so much fun when you do connect a face with a blog - esp when it's someone you know well! I felt like all weekend I was saying "OH! YOU'RE . . . (insert blog name here)!" A HUGE thanks to those who kindly introduced yourselves to me - I loved meeting every single person!

Also awsome and severely under-photographed by me were the many hand-made bags, name tags, clothing, etc. Again, a couple I finally snapped in the final hours of TSS: Jeni, Amanda's houndstooth bag (made by Colleen), Jessica rocking the Denyse Schmidt and this AMAZING paper pieced lanyard. Tiny!
I think one of my favorite classes (and the one where I remembered to bring my camera) was Improve Piecing taught by Jess of Urban Patchwork. Jess is an amazing and inspiring quilter. I made an improv-pieced block (see photo at the top of the post) and was reminded how much I enjoy it. I need to do it more often. The gal on the right with this pretty pile of scraps is Jennifer of Ellison Lane. Jennifer was my fabulous TA/Vanna White who was invaluable helping me during the class I taught.

I think that Saturday night was my favorite. Ate downtown by Temple Square with a bunch of great ladies including the wonderful Melissa, Trish and Amy again. (There were SO many Amy's there!)

I also hit the BabyLock sewing room for a late night sewing binge. That place was humming. It was so much fun to be surrounded by lots of other talented and happy sewers. (Not mention people with fabric addictions and hexagon enthusiasts. Kindred spirits.) I even completed a quilt top that has been in my 'to-do' pile for WAY too long. I'm excited to get 'er finished!

Many thanks again to Amy of Amy's Creative Side and Erin of Two More Seconds for all of their hard work pulling this conference together. I can't even fathom how much work they did to pull it off. And they're going to do it again next year! Check out these fabulous quilts created in secret by some very generous attendees. I was so impressed.

Also, (are you still with me? Sorry, long post!) There was some fabulous loot! And GUESS WHAT?! As I was carrying my ironing board through the posh lobby again on the way out, Erin offered me another set of swag. And I want to share it with one of you who was not able to be there in person. Yes way. Leave one comment here before Saturday October 15, midnight MST and I'll pick a winner.

(If you are a no-reply bloggerplease be sure to leave an email address so that I can contact you. The last giveaway I picked a winner and had no way to get a hold of her.) Also the winners of the blogiversary giveaway have been posted. The party continues!

Thanks for sharing all the fun, its been almost like being there to read all the posts and check out all the photos. A weekend with other fabric freaks and time to sew...bliss!Mary Annmascanlon49 at hotmail.com

Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful memories of what I'm sure was a fabulous event. It has been fun reading about the summit on all the blogs:) Thanks for the chance to win and thanks for all you share! You are AMAZING!!!

Oh it looks like so much fun. I was tempted to get one of the Saturday passes, but at 38 weeks pregnant my body made the decision for me. Jealous of all the swag, and all of the great people you got to meet.

Oh! How I wanted to go! I have friends who went, and just like you, they can't stop gushing about it! Kudos to Amy and Erin for putting on such a fabulous 1st time Sewing Summit! It'll be hard to top this next year! :)

The Sewing Summit sounds SEW FUN! I definitely want a chance for some serious SWAG! I'll have to arrange a flight or road trip down to Utah next October and see if my Blogging friend who lives there will join me...

It's been fun to enjoy Sewing Summit vicariously. I was only 3 hours away, but it wasn't possible for me to go this year. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I totally laughed imagining you carrying your ironing board through the Grand America. You rock. :) p.s. I think we have a common friend, me through high school and Jerusalem and you through the mission.

It definitely looks like everyone I have seen had a blast at Sewing Summit. Hopefully it will be an annual thing, and maybe in a few years I can go... after my baby is grown a bit and maybe I can afford it. :) I love all the wonderful inspiration I have seen, thanks for sharing your post, and your extra loot!

I'm so happy everyone had such a great time at the Sewing Summit! It's been a blast to see how much fun you were really having. Maybe, I can mark my calendar for next years even. It almost sounds like a dream come true... (kinda like Disneyland, when I was a child!)

I was on at a wedding in NYC during the Summit, but I kept sneaking away to places that had free wi-fi to check up on Twitter and Flickr for picture updates! I was SO miserable that I couldn't be there! I am going next year no matter who is getting married! :)

What's fun about this little give-away of yours is that I would have commented anyway. A chance to win would just be a nice little "bonus". I was truly jealous of your trip to the Sewing Summit :) and would sure love to go someday. Thanks for sharing!Silly, I have no idea if my e-mail addy is available to you or not--vanillagrill@gmail.com

I have been reading blog entries about this summit. Looked like a lot of fun, especially having a chance to play with all those GRACE BABY LOCK SEWING machines! Thank you for the opportunity to win some loot :D

Oh wow!!! Was sooooo coool reading about your trip to Summit!! What grand "MOMENTS" you had....and Fun!!Thank you for sharing....loved getting to share with you...even tho it was like eating crumbs! LOL

Oh I love reading all The SS updates and recaps! But at the same time it just kills me that I couldn't BE THERE ... and I live (as you know) just 45 minutes away!I hope it will always be in SLC -- maybe I can go next year (hmmm then again I'll have a 7 month old baby).

This looks like such a blast! I love the room with all the machines and people busy sewing. It seems like everyone had a wonderful time and it does look like a lot of work to put on. Thanks for being so generous with the giveaway of the extra "swag"- Kristy

What a fabulous post Amy. I so wish I could have been there! But I will definitely start saving my pennies to come all the way from NZ next year! It looks like a fabulous way to learn some new tricks and meet some very clever kindered spirits! Thanks again for sharing and for the opportunity to get some loot :) THANK YOU!

I have loved reading about Sewing Summit...even from the other side of the world. What's so fantastic about it, is that you don't have to be 'trade' ....just a lover of fabric, quilting and craft. What a tremendous concept. Well done to Amy and Erin!

Oh wow, I'm loving reading about everyone's trips to Sewing Summit. I think I'd also have been surruptitiously trying to read people's chests to find out names lol Mind you, as someone that masquerades as a purple and yellow bear, I'll totally confuddle people if I manage to get there next year ;o)

Thank you so much for giving those of us poor people that didn't make it a chance to win some loot!

I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for all pictures and info about your sewing summit. I would love to attend something like that one day. Currently living in the Middle East and about to move to Italy. Once I get stateside again, I'll shoot for something like this. Your blog is highly motivating. Thanks again, kesslercc@msn.com...just in case it doesn't go through. Wouldn't want you to NOT be able to get fabric to me if I win. :0 Cristy

I wanted to go so badly but it was the same week-end as Thanksgiving here in Canada and I don't think my family would forgive me if I skipped Thanksgiving so that I could sew... I have my fingers crossed that it will be on a different week-end next year so that I can go! Thanks for the giveaway.

What a wonderful time you had! It sounds like a combination of quilt show/retreat on steroids! Fun and exhausting. I'm looking forward to a retreat in a few weeks, right before my birthday - can hardly wait!

Awesome giveaway!!! I came here from etsy - I bought an i-spy charm pack that I made into a little quilt that I absolutely LOVE! Do you make those little charm packs often? I'd love to buy another. (Or more...)

Also, thank you to the link for the no-email thing, my little box wasn't checked!!

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